India and China set to reduce US dominance in space activity

Washington, April 19 (ANI): A new study has determined that India and China, along with Russia, Japan and Europe are all set to reduce the dominance that US has over space activities, with advantages of government, human capital and industry working in their favour.

This study is based on two reports: the Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity, released by the Space Foundation of Colorado Springs, Colorado and the 2008 Space Competitiveness Index issued by the Futron Corporation of Bethesda, Maryland.

Both studies provide an informative backdrop that catalogs growth in civil, military and commercial space arenas.

According to the Space Foundation guide report, government space activity, while growing at a more gradual pace than commercial space activity, is no longer limited to programs run by a few superpowers.

It also said that the shift from government being the primary source of funds for space research toward private investment has become pronounced over the past decade.

If current trends continue, the commercial space sector will continue to grow in comparison to government space exploration and operations potentially becoming the most important driver of overall space activities.

Futrons Index points out that advantages the United States has historically enjoyed in all three major dimensions of space competitiveness - government, human capital, and industry - are being narrowed by a an emerging India and China, a robust Europe, a resurgent Russia, and a steady Japan.

It also determined that other major players in the space race are turning out to be smaller participants like Brazil, Canada, Israel, and South Korea, with their continued investment in space policy, space expertise, and space infrastructure.

The reports issued by the Space Foundation and Futron help the Secure World Foundation (SWF) understand the health and potential future of existing and emerging space markets, said Phil Smith, SWF Director for Communications.

Our focus at SWF is two-fold: to prevent the tools of war from entering space; and prevent the causes of conflict through cooperative government engagements and robust commercial activity, he added. (ANI)